No touchy subject for Bosh

Related Content

Latest News

MIKE GANTER, Toronto Sun

Mar 5, 2010

, Last Updated: 9:07 AM ET

Chris Bosh wasn’t quite sure what to make of it at first.

A beat writer brought up a recent study that showed Bosh is one of the touchiest guys in the league.

It was only after it was explained to Bosh that the touchiness was referring to his penchant for high fiving teammates or making some physical connection of congratulations after a free throw or good play that Bosh caught on.

“Oh yeah, I’m a big fan of the high five,” a relieved Bosh said. “It’s a little thing, but even coming out of games I try to give everybody on the bench a high five because it keeps everyone in the game ... High fives are cool. It’s fun.”

The study, which was referenced in a recent New York Times article, showed Bosh and Boston’s Kevin Garnett touch their teammates more than any other player in the NBA and that “with few exceptions, good teams tended to be touchier than bad ones.”

EVERYONE ON A SHORTER LEASH

Jay Triano said Thursday he has given no thought whatsoever to sitting DeMar DeRozan down on a more permanent basis after benching him Monday in Houston. For Triano, the benching was warranted based on what he was seeing from DeRozan early in the game.

“That is something that will happen throughout a game,” Triano said. “If I don’t like what (DeRozan) is doing in a game, if I don’t like what Antoine (Wright) or Hedo (Turkoglu) or anybody is doing, I’m going to sit them down. That’s just trying to make these guys accountable. Is the leash a little shorter now? I’d say yes.”

As for DeRozan’s future in a starting role, don’t bet on that changing by Friday.

“What good is it going to do to sit him out,” Triano asked. “We need his athleticism. We need his body out there. He has given us a lift in a lot of games and we’re hoping he will continue to do that.”

PART OF THE JOB

Chris Bosh’s absence had a trickle down effect that was felt on all of his teammates. Whether it was Andrea Bargnani becoming the focal point of the opponent’s defence or Jarrett Jack and Jose Calderon required to score more than they normally might, everyone was affected.

Bosh, just by his presence, makes the jobs of everyone else on the floor easier and the big man has no problem with that.

“That’s my job,” Bosh said Thursday. “When I signed up for this, that was under my description. Make it easier for everybody, make everybody better. That’s my job and I’m used to it now and I will continue to do it.”

A FULL COMPLEMENT?

Andrea Bargnani was back from his flu. Jose Calderon, who missed Wednesday’s workout because of potential infection in his cut elbow, had to be pulled from the scrimmage for fear that he would overdo it. Even Hedo Turkoglu took part in a big part of Thursday’s practice giving Triano some hope that all of his players would be healthy for Friday’s tipoff against New York.

Turkoglu appears to be the only real question for Friday.

“He did quite a bit, more than I expected,” Triano said of Turkoglu. “Now it’s just a matter of how his ankle responds to him playing half court and full court today. If it responds well, he’ll be in the lineup. If it doesn’t, he won’t.”